


Ludus

by demonessryu



Series: Greek Types of Love [1]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Established Relationship, Excessive Use of Parentheses, M/M, Naughty Thoughts, Party, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27536497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonessryu/pseuds/demonessryu
Summary: Brian was really not good at this secret relationship thing. Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately,) Roger didn’t mind much. After all, he was just about as bad at it as Brian was.
Relationships: Brian May/Roger Taylor
Series: Greek Types of Love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012734
Comments: 18
Kudos: 34





	Ludus

**Author's Note:**

> I had this conversation about how there are so little fics about Brian being childish and playful, especially around Roger, even though there are many videos and gifs showing he’s not always serious and mature. So. Fic. Because be the change that you want, or something like that. This one is heavily inspired by the end of their SNL performance in which Brian sort of bounced his way to Roger because that is hilarious. 
> 
> Ludus: playful love. It describes the situation of having a crush and acting on it, or the affection between young lovers.

The first warning Roger should have noticed was the fact that he was stood a few feet away from Brian. The second was the big smile Brian had had on his face since they were both in the same room. The third and last (which Roger actually noticed, but too late) was the look Brian gave him, all sparkling eyes and wide grin, before he fucking bounced his way to Roger.

Roger watched with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement (how old was he? Ten?) and, yeah, not a small amount of fondness (bloody hell, he loved this man.) It took a while to realize Brian didn’t actually bounce, just walking on his toes comically, his back slightly hunched as if he had any hope of appearing like he had a normal height. But, his excitement gave a spring to his steps and his height and hair added to the effect of moving up and down. Roger was a little mortified and yet a little more in love when Brian stopped beside him.

“Nice party, huh?”

The truth was Roger had completely forgotten they were in a room full of people in Garden Lodge. Freddie was entertaining everyone while Roger stood at the back of the crowd, content to watch before he and Freddie inevitably came up with something ill-advised to do together. But, the second Roger caught Brian’s eyes, he had completely forgotten where he was and what he was doing, only knowing that they were too far apart and Brian was going to remedy that situation in the most ridiculous way possible. Was it more ridiculous than the fond resignation Roger felt for the effort, though? He used to have (some) dignity, but he had since found that Brian’s rare super good mood was a very effective treatment against trivial things like pride. Brian only needed to look at him with earnest eyes and smile and Roger would enlist his entire connection, both reputable and not, to bring the moon for him to gift to Brian if he so asked.

Not that Roger was ever going to tell him that. “Yeah.” Roger turned back to Freddie, who was wonderfully singing an operatic tune. “When’s Freddie’s party not great, though?”

Brian made a noise of agreement and moved closer so their sides were pressed together. “Planning anything fun with Freddie later?” he asked knowingly.

Roger looked up thoughtfully. “You think I can convince him to hang from the chandelier?”

Brian snorted. “Maybe, but I don’t know how Jim’s going to react to that.”

“It will be fun!” Roger argued. “How about pole dancing? He keeps trying to hump things on stage.” Hump _you_ on stage, Roger didn’t say. It made for an entertaining performance, but he had mixed feelings about seeing his best friend trying to make out with his boyfriend. Unfortunately, his days of stopping performance midway to make out with someone behind the drum kit was long gone. Although maybe he could try to bring it back in the studio? Hmm. Food for thoughts, that.

Brian’s embarrassed laughter indicated that he was also thinking about those very performances. It left his eyes shining with genuine happiness and his lips curling up oh so temptingly that Roger was grateful that he had made wearing dark glasses indoors sort of his trademark style. It allowed him to ogle at his boyfriend all the time inconspicuously. Too inconspicuously, perhaps, since more than half the time Brian didn’t even realize the amount of self-control Roger must exercise to be anywhere in the neighborhood of professional and proper in public. Did he know that Roger had catalogued all the places in studios and concert halls and stadiums and hotels they could sneak to, to kiss and make out? Did he know the thousands of excuses Roger had invented so they could have a little moment for themselves? Did he know the many things Roger didn’t even dare to say to him when he was asleep beside Roger? Did he know about all the acrobatic positions that…

“And are you going to pole dance, too?” Brian asked, interrupting Roger’s train of thoughts before it plummeted into the gutter.

Roger was going to say that not even all the money in the world and a case of sexy pictures of Brian could induce him to dance in public (although maybe two cases. He’s open for negotiation on that front) until he saw the anxious look on Brian’s face. Did Brian actually want him to pole dance? Roger doubted it. Even in private, Brian’s taste for teasing ran to the, uh, _forceful_ direction – with him on the receiving end. Besides, he had seen Roger dance in clubs and while they both agreed that Roger’s enthusiasm was commendable, his skill was rather shit. What was it that he wanted, then?

As Roger didn’t reply, Brian continued by way of quiet explanation, “I found – well, Phoebe showed me – a bottle of champagne and since everyone is here, no one’s upstairs, at the balcony.” He looked at Roger hopefully from the corner of his eyes and shit, Roger was halfway to saying yes before Brian was even finished telling him his idea. He was that in love with him. ‘There’s supposed to be a meteor passing close to the earth tonight. I thought maybe we could go and see it. It’s a bit too bright for stargazing here, but it may be worth a try.”

Roger bought his dying pride some time by drinking his wine (which he had forgotten because Brian’s palpable excitement to be with him was like a black hole to Roger’s extensive memory and other basic neural functions. Did his insurance cover love-induced brain damage?) but it could only last so long. Not the least because Roger really wanted to say yes because parties? Great. Freddie’s parties? Amazing. But, spending a quiet time away from others with his boyfriend? That was downright divine.

Eventually, after what seemed to him like an acceptable time for thinking, he asked, “what time?”

“In about an hour,” Brian replied excitedly. A glance told Roger that he was looking at him like it was Roger himself who had sent for the meteor to pass the earth. There was little else Roger could do beside digging his shoulder onto Brian’s arm to make up for the caress he couldn’t give in a room full of people.

“Remind me when it’s time,” Roger instructed unnecessarily. He knew Brian would collect him without fail.

Roger watched Brian not-skip away in fond amusement. Perhaps such childish behavior should stop being cute, oh, about a decade ago, but there was something endearingly innocent about the earnest way Brian went about in the world, full of wonder as if he had been on earth long enough and was lucky enough to see most of what the world had to offer. Roger started to smile, then caught himself and bit his lip to unconvincingly affect a stern appearance. He had just turned his attention back to Freddie when a new presence beside him almost made him jump out of his skin. He glared at John, who was smiling to him disarmingly.

“You guys are lucky we’re at the back so that no one sees.” He smirked at Roger. “I’ve never seen a more obvious secret relationship.”

Roger scowled at him and blamed the heat rising to his cheeks to his one glass of wine. “Don’t you have a wife to protect from the rest of us bastards?”

“Yes.” He looked to where Veronica was seated. His smile gentled for a moment before he turned back to Roger and it turned to something mischievous again. “But, I also have friends to save from themselves. That was _really_ obvious, Rog,” he chuckled.

“It’s not my fault that he knows nothing about being discreet!” Roger hissed in defense.

John raised an eyebrow. “Right. It’s all Brian’s fault. It’s not like you have a mini Red Special hanging over your chest there.”

Alarmed, Roger looked to his chest where his necklace was still hidden behind his shirt. The pendant wasn’t a completely faithful replica of Brian’s guitar, but the shape and the color were unmistakable and anyone who knew what they were looking at would know or at least question what he meant. Brian had gotten the bare bone of it, just a small guitar pendant that sort of looked like the Red Special if Roger squinted really, really hard (and Roger had squinted quite hard because Brian had been too embarrassed to let him see it up close.) Roger had had it colored and modified to look more like the real priceless thing. But, while he would never forget how thrilled (and strangely aroused) Brian had been when seeing the result for the first time, Roger always intended it to be something private between the two of them, not shown to even their closest friends.

He flushed in embarrassment when he realized that he hadn’t kept that secret gift as secret as he had thought. “Piss off!” he said to his laughing friend.

John raised his hands and walked back to his wife, but not without having the last words. “Let me know when you get his name tattooed above your arse.”

Roger glared at John’s retreating back until he realized the futility of the effort to intimidate was. Then, he sighed and moved his eyes to something far more pleasant. Inevitably, his stupid brain interpreted it as meaning he must find Brian. It barely took a second, actually, as Brian stood out from the crowd due to his excessive height. He was staring at Roger, all pure affection that simultaneously made Roger feel unworthy and proud that he was deemed worthy. The smile he gave when he realized he now had Roger’s attention made the rest of the room, or even the world, disappeared. Roger was almost overcome by the urge to publicly proclaim his love for the silly man, who was his archenemy, best friend, and lover all at once.

“God. He’s going to be the end of me,” he muttered to himself.

But, he thought as he returned Brian’s smile albeit in a slightly-more-subtle-but-probably-no-less-lovesick way, what a happy way to go it would be.

**Author's Note:**

> I can’t remember what documentary/video it was on youtube that I watched, but it was a collection of interviews with Roger’s old friends and even ex. Anyway one of the friends mentioned that one time Roger stopped playing the drums to snog his girlfriend behind the drums. Good to know his character is consistent.
> 
> I can be found on [tumblr](http://demonessryu.tumblr.com/).


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